Naruko Nishikawa
by ParradoxUniverse
Summary: A story of how a young girl was taken in by some rather odd folks and her eventual adventure to help her fellow Jinchuuriki's. FemNaruto. Overall stronger and generally smarter MC
1. Chapter 1

**I love how I hadn't given Naruto a second glance until a few weeks back.**

 **Now I'm hooked!**

 **Enjoy**

 **Chapter One**

I had been beaten more times than I could count. I remember each strike, each blow, each impact that I had ever received; the bones that shattered, the bruises that formed and the cuts that blossomed forth.

I was being beaten right now, the villagers had cornered me when my back was turned. The first strike always hurts the most; the crushing blow sends a pulse of pain through my body before I simply lay down and turn it all off.

Turn off the pain and the emotion, just leave my body and let it take the brunt of the damage. I always heal, it doesn't matter about that; I just lay and take it now. I didn't accept it before; I would fight back, injure them more than they could injure me, but that just made things worse.

They didn't stop, they never will; so, I just accept it now and try to avoid everyone. However, in a village of ninja, that's not the easiest thing in the world. I even left school because of the hatred, nothing but pure, raw hatred.

I hear them leave, bored with my current state and lack of reaction to their actions.

I sit up slowly and mentally check my injuries. Dislocated shoulder, broken thumb, black eye, blood nose and broken foot. Dozens of bruises and scratches all over but those weren't that bad; I cross my hands and a single shadow clone appears before me.

I had stolen a forbidden scroll from the Third Hokage's office to prove myself to my class, but all I got were more insults and another beating.

The clone grabs my arm and punches my shoulder, I scream out in pain and black out for a second, dispelling the clone in the process. However, I had relocated my shoulder; the black eye I couldn't do much about and the broken thumb would heal by morning.

I hopped through the village, avoiding the more populated streets and hiding when necessary. I turned onto my street and had to leap to the side into a nearby bush, as a group of villagers were coming toward me; they had previously beaten me and I wasn't up for another today.

I waited for them to pass before attempting to move; that's what would have happened had my good foot not lost its grip on the ground. I found myself sliding down a muddy slope, before I landed in a damp and dark creek.

The cold water stung my scratches but I didn't attempt to move, I simply sat and thought. Thought about who my parents might have been, thought about what my life could have been had I not been born as myself.

"You'll get a cold young one"

I didn't even turn to look at the source of the voice.

"Don't worry, I heal quickly" I say through a cracked voice.

I feel something drape over my shoulders before a pair of small hands drag me out of the creek and onto the side of the hill.

"Look at you boy, battered and bruised" sighed the voice.

I finally turned to see the stranger but all I saw was a small green frog with a purple cloak.

"You're… a frog?" I ask softly.

"A toad actually, my name is Shima" said the toad with a smile.

"Naruko…" I said with a tiny smile.

"Just Naruko?" asked Shima, as she wiped some dirt from my face.

I'd read about the toads of Mount Myoboku, they were supposedly rumoured to be hundreds of years old. There were massive ones that wielded weapons and smaller ones which could use ninjutsu to the highest degree, I didn't realize that they came to the Hidden Leaf though.

"Yeah… I didn't know my parents and no one says anything about them" I say, keeping my tears in check.

Shima seemed to be thinking something over.

"Would you like to come with me Naruko-boy?" asked Shima softly.

I sigh to myself.

"I'm actually a girl, I just cut my hair like this cause it's easy to manage" I say with a red face.

It's true that I look very much like a boy but I was most defiantly a girl; probably the result of my stubborn attitude and short, spiky, blonde hair.

"Oh… forgive me for assuming" laughed Shima.

"That's quite alright, wait… did you say go with you?" I ask in surprise, my mind finally comprehending her words.

"Yes, I am one of the two great toad sages. My husband and I would be more than happy to take you in and teach you, you'd be fed and protected in our mountain range" explained Shima with a toothless grin.

"That sounds… nice actually… I get beaten up here. I'm not complaining though, but this is home for me" I say with a sad sigh.

Shima nodded, before placing a small hand on my shoulder.

"Listen Naruko-girl, I can tell that you have great potential simply by looking at your chakra. If you stay here then it will never be nourished, come with me and we will teach you to become strong" said Shima with a stern nod.

I thought it over, she was convincing; I wanted nothing more than to just up and leave this place behind; but deep down I was scared. Scared to leave the one place I had called home for all my life, sure it might have been hell but it was still home.

"Okay… Grandma-Sage" I say with a small, nervous smile.

"Grandma-sage? I suppose I can live with that" laughed Shima before she jumped on my shoulder and clapped her hands together.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Reverse Summoning Jutsu"

That's the last thing I here before I feel my body fold onto itself, I fall for a few seconds before landing firmly on the ground. Shima is still on my shoulder and smiling at me; I shake my head for a few moments before looking up.

"Ma? Who is this young boy?"

I see yet another small green toad standing before me, he has a deep grey goatee and matching hair. His hair reminded me of the third's and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Pa! This is a young girl, don't be so rude" said Shima with a swipe to his head.

"Really? My apologies girl, I simply assumed" apologized the toad quickly.

Shima sighed before gesturing to the toad.

"This is my husband, Lord Fukasaku; he is also the other great toad sage" explained Shima and I nodded lightly.

"I'm… Naruko" I say through chattered teeth.

I finally realized how cold this cave was, my rages were barley covering me, let along keeping me warm. Shima and Fukasaku seemed to notice and Grandma leapt off to find me some spare clothes whilst Grandpa started a fire.

"Alright Naruko-girl, I understand that you want to live her with us toads" said Fukasaku curiously.

I simply nodded, too cold to speak.

"Well then, I'm not going to refuse a soul that's been hurt in the past. Tell me, do you know any jutsu? Genjutsu? Taijutsu?" he asked me.

I nodded lightly and he gestured for me to demonstrate.

Bringing my hands up, I pulled off my shadow clone jutsu, a perfect replica appeared next to me; waving at the old toad before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu huh? Very useful" noted the sage, "Would you like to learn Senjutsu or Sage Jutsu?"

Once again, I nodded.

"Oh Naruko-girl, let's get you changed. You can discuss training tomorrow, now you need a bath and some food!" declared Shima as she arrived with a cotton towel.

My chest suddenly contracted, I couldn't help it. I grabbed the two toads and hugged them as hard as I could, I couldn't stop the tears and I didn't want to. I simply cried and let all my emotion out; I was safe and had people who cared for me.

 **Ten Years Later**

"Naruko-girl! Get up now!"

Those words startled me out of my nap and in my panic I rolled off the head of my napping statue. The sudden lack of solid surfaces woke me up quicker than a bucket of ice water and I channelled my chakra into my feet, grabbing onto the statue before I hit the ground.

"Pa! You scared the hell out of me!" I yell to the old toad below me.

"Language girl… Ma and I are going out for the day, just letting you know. Practice some Fuinjutsu if you're bored. Jamie-girl left you more than enough supplies last time she was here" said the old geezer with a smug grin.

"Fine!" I say with a wave of my hand, waking back up the side of the statue.

It's been ten years since the two toads took me in, ten years of gruelling training in the art of being a sage. I'm quite proud to say, with the help of some shadow clones of course, that I mastered sage jutsu in only half a year.

However, that wasn't the only thing they knew how to do, I even managed to hone a few of my natural jutsu. Wind, fire and water were the main three associated with me and both Ma and Pa had taught me some sweet advance techniques.

The only human contact I've had is with Ma and Pa's former student, apparently, she's one of the legendary three Sanin, whatever that means. She calls herself Jaime and helped me practice my frog kumite along with Pa.

She's nice and kind, even taught me my Dad's signature move!

Oh… and she told me about my parents, I was upset at first but I understood where the Third's mind set was at eventually. She also told me about the tailed beast sealed within me and that it was the reason why all the villagers were so scared of me.

Despite knowing who my parents are, I decided to forgo both of their last names. Instead deciding to craft my own name based off my love for my new parents. Gone are the days of the weak and unfeeling Naruko, now I stand strong as Naruto Nishikawa.

"Summoning Jutsu"

I place my bit finger to the ground and summon forth my contracted toad.

"Hey there whiskers! What's up?"

I smile as Gamakichi appears, he and I had formed a contract early on, since I couldn't continuously summon a massive toad like his father; we signed a deal and would grow in strength together.

That was the idea, but sometimes I just liked to summon him for no reason.

"Hey Gama, just wondering if you've got any news from the Leaf" I say with a wave.

The toad thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"Sorry Whiskers, nothing but rumours and whispers. A couple of rouge ninja have been stirring up trouble around the other main villages though, nothing serious but the Kages are making sure they keep security up" explained Gamakichi.

I nod in understanding, I didn't really care for news outside of the mountain range but Ma and Pa had made me take an interest, since I would probably return one day.

"Thanks Gama, I'm going to go and get some larvae for dinner, you wanna join us?" I ask with a stretch.

"Not for me thanks, I gotta watch my figure!" laughed the toad.

"Please, you look the same as always!" I say with a laugh of my own.

Bidding farewell to my summon, I make my way back toward my house and leap in through my bedroom window. Jumping into shower, I quickly undress and let my hair out of their twin pig tails; I activate the seal and a powerful water jutsu erupts from the canvas, instantly cleaning me.

It had originally been my idea to store a standard water jutsu in a scroll and use it for cleaning, I had Jaime write up the seals for it and the rest is history.

I bring my hands together and summon two shadow clones, I have them both create a Rasengan each to dry my body. Once I'm dry from the wind based jutsu, I pull out my outfit and lay it on my bed. Looking at myself in the mirror I sigh at the size of my chest; it wasn't small by any means, but it wasn't as big as Jaime's.

Pulling my bra and underwear on, I hop into my standard orange and black jumpsuit that Jaime had bought for me. Before tying my leaf village forehead protector around me head, yet another gift from Jaime, apparently, it had been my Dad's.

Speaking of, I grab my pouch of special shuriken, each based around his Flying Thunder God technique; before finally pulling on a pair of black flats and tying my long, golden locks back into twin tails.

"Alright, let's go get some grub you know!" I say with a shout before leaping back out my window and dropping to the forest floor quickly.

 **Later that Day**

"Wow! That smells great Ma!" I say with wide eyes.

"Well, you got me some fine grubs to work with so it's not all me" said Ma with a smile.

I can only drool as she sets the bugs, grubs and larvae out onto the table. I still remember the first time they made me a meal, I was so hungry I didn't even notice what I was eating, but five years of eating all manner of bugs built me up a large immunity.

We tuck into the food, silence descends on the room and I notice straight away that something is up with Ma and Pa. They weren't eating nearly as much as they normally did, in fact they had barely touched their second plates.

"Ma? Pa? What's up? You feeling alright?" I ask in confusion.

The two toads look at one another for a moment before nodding.

"Naruko-girl, Ma and I were talking with the Great Toad Sage and were wondering if you would like to return to the Hidden Leaf" said Pa honestly.

"Return to the Leaf? Why? You getting sick of me?" I say with a smile.

"Of course, not Naruko-girl, we simply want you to make friends with some of your own kind" said Ma softly.

"Fine…" I say with a shrug.

"Really? Just like that?" asked Pa in shock.

"Yeah, I've explored almost everything here, I was kinda getting bored. Besides, no one can hurt me now that I'm a sage" I say with a giggle.

Ma and Pa both smile and sigh in relief, they obviously assumed I would be hesitant to return.

"Very well Naruko-girl, we'll set out in two days, pack everything you need tonight" said Pa with another smile.

"Alright, now eat up, you were scaring me before" I say before topping up their plates with my grubs.

 **Two Days Later**

"Bye Gama! I'll make sure to summon you!"

I yell out to my toad and wave goodbye.

"Bye Whiskers!"

"Ready Naruko-girl?" asks Pa.

I nod firmly and follow he and Ma through the water portal. I feel the world pull me into myself and brace for the solid impact at the end, I roll lightly and catch the two toads on my shoulders.

We set off at a brisk pace, jumping between trees on our way toward the leaf village. Ma and Pa simply doze lightly on my shoulders, comfortable there due to their years of meditation training. I speed up our journey by using the FTG technique and dash through the forest at an even higher speed.

I throw one final shuriken before Pa tells me to ease up, we arrive at the tree line, about twenty meters off from the main gate to the village. I sit down and enter sage mode, scanning the gate, I see a dozen guards positioned at the front of the village.

Technically I should be allowed to just waltz in with no repercussions, but I knew from Ma and Pa that I shouldn't go crazy around trained killers. I drop down form the tree and walk slowly toward the main gate.

"Halt! State your name and purpose"

A man with a cat mask appears right before we enter the gate.

"Naruko Nishikawa" I say clearly, "Returning home and meeting with the Hokage"

"Lord Fukasaku" says Pa clearly, "Meeting with the Hokage"

"Lady Shima" says Ma, "Meeting with the Hokage"

The man simply stares at us for a few seconds before nodding his head and vanishing.

"That was easy enough" said Ma with a small smile.

"Yes, very easy, stay on guard Naruko-girl" said Pa cautiously.

It was very early in the morning, so there weren't very many people around. Some shops owners setting up their stores were the only signs of inhabitancy. We made straight for the Hokage's main office and I was pleased to find that nothing had really changed in terms of the layout, a few new stores and homes but nothing too massive.

Two masked guard stand outside the door to the Hokage's office.

"Umm… hi there! I'm here to see the Hokage" I say nervously.

They both look at me before nodding sharply and pushing the doors open.

Ma and Pa both give me concerned looks but I enter with my head held high. I recall every corridor in the building, right down to the secret passage ways. I make my way toward the main office, sage mode keeps me informed of any possible threats.

I arrive at the door to the main office and knock lightly, I can sense the chakra of only one person within.

"Come in"

Upon hearing the invitation, I gently push the solid oak doors open and step into the Hokage's office. I see the third sitting in the traditional Hokage garb before me, he looks slightly older than last I saw him but that was about it.

"Naruko, it's good to see you again… you've grown so much" said Sarutobi softly, "Lord Fukasaku, Lady Shima, lovely to see you again"

"Lord Hokage, it's nice to see you're still holding your position" I say with a short bow.

This earns a chuckle from both him and my adoptive parents.

"Yes, well no one else seems to want this bloody job, so I'm stuck here for now" laughed Hiruzen.

"You're still the little whipper snapper I remember Hiruzen-boy" noted Pa humorously.

"Maybe, we humans aren't as resilient as you toads" sighed the third.

We all share a chuckle before his eyes go dead serious.

"Naruko, I'm very disappointed in your for leaving the village. I assume Jaime has filled you in on the details of your existence" said Hiruzen.

I simply nod.

"Hiruzen-boy, don't blame Naruko-girl for her leaving, she was in a bad place…"

However, I cut off Ma before she can finish.

"You're right, I shouldn't have left without a word or even a note… but I made the decision and have become all that much stronger for it" I say with a firm nod.

Hiruzen, Ma and Pa look at me with wide eyes.

"I see, you've become far stronger than any of our current ninja your age" stated the third with an impressed nod.

Hearing that bought up a sense of pride, to hear that I had surpassed my fellow class mates and become stronger was awesome.

"Even Sasuke?" I ask in surprise.

I didn't like the douche bag, but I couldn't deny that he was damn strong. Especially with his Sharingan bloodline and natural affinity for complex jutsu; I figured that he had gained even greater strength since my absence; I really hoped he had since I was itching to test myself against him.

Hiruzen seemed disturbed by my comment and didn't say anything.

"Probably, considering the son of a bitch left the leaf village and joined Orochimaru"

I turn to toward the new voice and my eyes widen in surprise.

"Pervy Sage!" I exclaim in surprise.

I leap at my snow haired tutor and embrace her tightly. It had been just a few months since I had last seen the lecherous sage but it felt like forever. She had been a massive part of my training in Mount Myoboku and was the only reason why I could pull of the Rasengan so easily.

"Hey there little sage, how's it?" asked Jaime with a wide smile, hugging me back just as tight.

"Good… wait, what did you just say? Sasuke left?" I ask in confusion.

"Indeed. About three years ago, his brother, Itachi Uchiha came searching for the nine-tails, Sasuke tried to fight him and was terribly beaten. He left in search of power from Orochimaru, one of the three legendary Sanin and Jaime's former teammate; we sent a squad after him but all but one of them were killed in action" explain Hiruzen.

I swallowed nervously, this was serious.

"Fortunately, Orochimaru attempted an attack on our village a few months before hand and was critically injured by myself and lord third. He had no choice but to transfer himself into a new body and thus is unable to use Sasuke's body" explained Jamie.

"Wait, you said that Sasuke's brother was after the nine-tails… you mean the one inside of me?" I ask suddenly.

"Yes… it would seem as though a group of rouge ninja called the Akatsuki are working toward the assembly of all nine of the tailed beasts for still unknown reasons" said Hiruzen sternly.

I felt a flicker of pain race through my heart, the nine-tails was trying to use my emotion to gain a margin of control over me. I quickly quelled that and took a deep breath, controlling my feelings for my fellow Jinchuuriki's.

"Well, we've got to help them you know" I say urgently.

"Indeed, we believe that they are going to target the one tailed beast, sealed within the current Kazekage" said Jaime.

"Well then we need to go and protect him, take him to Mount Myoboku or something"

"Calm down Naruko-girl, we can't just walk into the hidden sand and ask to take their leader" said Pa gently.

"Sorry Pa, but we can't just stand back and wait for him to be taken" I say once again.

"That is why we are sending Jaime to convene with the Kazekage and explain the situation" said Hiruzen.

I sighed in relief, Jaime was a pervert of immense nature, but I couldn't deny that she was far stronger than she let on. Strong enough to train the forth Hokage and be feared as the number one spymaster across the globe.

"If it's not too much trouble, may I join Pervy-sage on her journey?" I ask bluntly.

Lord third seems to be lost in thought, his age clearly showing throwing the various wrinkles and lines in his face.

"Very well, but I require at least two others join you on your mission. I'll let Jaime decide that, I assume you will be joining them" said Hiruzen, gesturing to Ma and Pa.

"Of course, we simply must report to the Great Toad Sage" said Pa with a nod.

"Very well, I'll have you set off in two days from the main gates" said Hiruzen clearly.

"Yes sir" said Jaime and I together.

Dismissing us with a wave of his hand, we left the Hokage office and made toward the exit.

"I'm going to scout some possible team members, you can head to this address and stay there until we leave" said Jaime, handing me a piece of parchment with her address written on it.

"Alright then, see you later Pervy-sage!" I say with a laugh before our paths branched.

Making our way through the village, I was pleased to find that no one noticed who I was. Especially given the amount of attention I was receiving for not only my looks, which I couldn't deny weren't too shabby, but the two toads adorning my shoulders.

"Makes you wonder if they've ever seen a real sage before" noted Pa with a scoff.

I eventually arrived at the address given to me by Jamie and had to say it was very fancy. Although I really should have expected it, considering her reputation and current line of work, she probably could buy three of these homes and still have some left over.

"Wow, Pervy-sage is loaded" I say in wonder as we enter the house.

"Pfft… I doubt it, Jaime-girl spends all her money on alcohol and women. It was only after a right kick in the pants that she finally saved up enough for a place of her own" explained Ma crossly.

I couldn't help but laugh. Jamie was well known for her perverted nature, despite her being the very being she targeted. Her reasoning was that all female bodies should be admired to their fullest extent, hence why she was banned from many hot springs in the Hidden Leaf.

I set myself up in an empty room, what little I had. A large summoning scroll, a host of ninja tools and my clothing scrolls were all I really had to my name.

"Well Naruko-girl, we're going to head back to the mountain, think you could give us a lift?" asks Ma.

I simply nod and toss a shuriken onto the bed; Ma and Pa grab tightly onto my shoulders and I focus on the shuriken in my room back at Mount Myoboku. I close my eyes and feel myself slip for less than a fraction of a second.

"Thank you Naruko-girl, we'll make our own way back" said Pa with a smile as they hoped off my shoulders.

I wave them goodbye before relocating myself back to the shuriken atop my bed. I land lightly upon the soft mattress and moan in delight at the feeling of a real bed. Plant and flax were heavenly after a gruelling training session back at the mount but real bedding was almost too much for my body to bear.

I would have been happy to just lay there for two days but reality called and I slowly sat back up again.

" _So, you're going to rescue my brother and sisters?"_

I just ignored the voice.

" _I do like it when you don't talk back, it means I'm annoying you"_

"I told you to never talk to me fox" I say with a sigh, casually tossing a shuriken into the air and catching it again.

" _You should know that that was never going to happen. You're amusing kid" said the nine-tails within my mind._

Sighing, I sit up straight and close my eyes. I pull of a series of hand seals before entering my own mind to talk properly with the demon fox.

"Why can't you just be happy that I haven't chained you to a rock?" I ask whilst sitting.

The fox simply glares at me through the bars of his cage, unable to do anything save for communicate. I had cut off every flow of chakra from him to me early on, I wouldn't let him tempt my mind or prey of any of my negative emotions.

"I am far happier being bound to you instead of your mother, however, I simply wish to know why you want to help the other tailed beasts" said the fox curiously.

I didn't answer for a while.

"I don't really care about the beasts, sure they don't deserve to be used for evil but it's the hosts… my fellow Jinchuuriki's that I really care about. I don't want them to die just because they were given something beyond their control" I say honestly.

It was true, I knew now that the reason I was treated worse than dirt was because of the fox and what he did to the village; but the thought of a whole other eight people being hunted and killed for their beasts was just too much.

"I see; you're a strange one Naruko. Far kinder than my past Jinchuuriki's…" said the fox with a nod.

"Well that's nice to hear I suppose" I said with a shrug.

"No, it's more than that. Do you see the beasts as mindless creatures that you want to destroy?" asked the fox bluntly.

"No… not really, I mean; I know you did things in the past that hurt a lot of people; but you did that because humans tried to abuse your power for their own gain. You had every right to be mad at them" I said with a nod.

"Hmm… my name is Kurama" said the fox casually.

It took my mind a moment to comprehend what he had just said; I had read that a beast bonds with its host by revealing more about its true self. By giving me its name, I had built a deeper bond and could, theoretically, use the nine-tails chakra without it consuming my mind.

"What is this? Another game?" I ask suspiciously.

The fox, apparently called Kurama, shakes his head softly.

"I know you have no reason to trust me, and I won't try and convince you otherwise. Just let it be known that if you ever need my assistance, simply call for me and I'll lend you strength" he said simply.

"Well I appreciate the offer" I said with an honest nod before holding out my hand in a fist.

"What's this?" asks Kurama with a titled head.

"A fist bump, to signify friendship" I say with a nod.

Kurama simply laughs and puts one of his massive fists through the bars of his gate and bumps his enormous fist into mine.

I snap back to reality and smile to myself, staring at the mirror across my room, I notice that my whiskers have become darker and more prominent.

 **Two Days Later**

"Morning Pervy-sage!" I say with a wave.

"Moring little-sage, you ready?" she asks with a smile.

I tap my scroll attached to the back of my waist and she taps her. Ma and Pa are both seated on my shoulders and I'm garbed in my sage outfit made for me by Ma. I'm fully stocked up with all my various ninja tools and full to the brim with sage chakra, having meditated heavily the night before.

"Who are the lucky ducks who get to join us?" I ask with a hint of excitement.

Two figures appear next to Jaime and bow to myself, Ma and Pa.

"Good day Naruko, Lady and Lord. I am Tenten and will be accompanying you on this mission" said a short, brown haired woman with twin buns.

From what I could remember, Tenten was skilled in the use of weapons and sealing jutsu. Judging from the amount of scrolls she had strapped to her body, she stored all her weapons via Fuinjutsu and controlled them via the chakra wires looped around her fingerless gloves.

"Hello Naruko, it's good to see you again. Hello my lord and lady. I am Hinata Hyuga, I will be joining you on your mission" said the other companion.

I was stunned to see that the small, shy, diminutive little girl I remembered, had grown into a beautiful, raven haired woman. I groaned at how big her breasts had become but didn't give it much thought. From what I knew about the Hyuga clan, they were incredibly powerful due to their Byakugan blood line, equal, if not more powerful, than the Sharingan blood line.

"It's good to see you to Hinata, how's Neji?" I ask with a smile, recalling her cousins name.

"Oh right… you don't know" said Hinata sadly.

"Know what?" I ask in confusion.

I see Jaime frown to herself whilst Hinata sheds a tear.

"The team sent after Sasuke was comprised of recently graduated ninja, led by Shikamaru. However, the ones accompanying Sasuke were highly skilled and killed those sent after them. Choji, Lee, Neji and Kiba all died in combat. Shikamaru only survived through the arrival of Kakashi" explained Tenten softly.

I was very taken back by this current revelation, I hadn't known any of them very well but I didn't wish any of them harm or death. It was unnerving to say the least.

"I'm… very sorry for your loss" I say with a hung head.

"Don't be, we've accepted the reality of the situation and moved on. It hurts that they're gone but we've learnt to live with the pain" sighed Tenten, slightly adjusting her forehead protector.

"You're very wise Tenten-girl" noted Pa with nod.

"Well then, enough sad talk! Let's get on the road!" exclaimed Jaime.

"Right! Let's go meet the Kazekage you know!"

 **A/N: Frankly I love the toads, they're just so awesome!**

 **Updates for this will be incredibly slow, just saying.**

 **Yes, with the absence of Naruko from the main story, a few minor changes occurred to the villagers.**

 **Gotta keep up with the manga in order to keep events semi-canonical (doubtful though)**

 **Read, fav, follow and review!**

 **My name is Parradox and thanks so much for reading.**

 **Bye!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Back with another chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Two**

It would seem as though Jaime hadn't gotten any better in her nature as a pervert. Considering we are a team comprised of only human females, one female toad and one male toad; the 'legendary' Sanin was free to peep, spy and generally harass both Tenten and Hinata.

That's not to say that I didn't blame her, both girls were incredibly beautiful in their own right, but Jamie was never going to change, regardless of how many times I smacked her over the head and kicked her out of our hot spring.

We'd been travelling quickly for about three days and had crossed the border between the land of fire and the land of wind. Ma and Pa hated the coarse sand more than anything, it dried their normally moist skin and gave them both a light rash.

Jaime offered to send them back to the mount and only summon them when needed but they both declined, saying they needed a little adventure to get their old bodies back into shape. That earned a laugh from both me and Jaime alike, we knew that neither sage was near their end and could probably flip us both on our asses.

We spared against one another at night, making sure we kept our abilities sharp. It also allowed us to get a better understanding of one another's limits, strengths and weaknesses. Hinata was lethal at hand to hand combat, her Byakugan was almost on par with sage mode in terms of sensing, and her gentle fist technique was devastating, as Jaime had accidentally found out.

Tenten however, was more of a long-range support type. Her various weapons allowed Jaime and I to perform quick and effective, hit and run tactics. She had been teaching me a fair share of Fuinjutsu and I'd caught on relatively quickly for someone who hated the art.

Ma and Pa have been practicing their dual Genjutsu, and making sure that everyone the team can break out of it. I'm honestly having the most difficulty with it, Genjutsu has never been one of my strongest suits and it's really showing.

Jaime calculated that we were at least one more day from the Hidden Sand, with that in mind, we decided to pick up our pace and really make some ground.

"Alright, I've got some information about some of the members of the Akatsuki from Kakashi" said Jaime.

This perked everyone's interest, even Ma and Pa's.

"Right, you said they came looking for me at the Leaf, I assume this Kakashi fellow was the one who encountered them?" I ask curiously.

"Correct, we know of two of their members and their general abilities. The first is a man called Kissame, a shark man hybrid highly skilled in water based jutsu, who wields an incredibly powerful sword. That's all I've got on him" said Jaime with a grimace.

"So, a direct attack on such a foe would be highly ineffective" noted Tenten with a frown.

"Indeed, Ma and I would be at an advantage due to the water but we're still highly outclassed in melee combat" explained Pa.

"Quite, the other is Itachi Uchiha, the brother of Sasuke" said Jaime with a frown of her own.

I swallow nervously at Itachi's name, I'd read up more about the Uchiha massacre and knew that he was far more powerful than his partner.

"Hmm… he must possess the Sharingan then" noted Ma.

"Of course, he is master of Genjutsu, especially his Tsukuyomi. He has access to the dark flames of Amaterasu and the ability to do a half-bodied Susanoo" said Jaime with narrow eyes.

"A Susanoo?" said Hinata in confusion.

"Like a suit of armour around the user's body, it's a very powerful technique, only available to those in possession of the Sharingan" explained Pa.

" _Indeed, Madara was the most skilled in using the Susanoo to date" growled Kurama from within my mind._

"Why did he need you then?" I ask.

" _The Susanoo drains a user's chakra very quickly, to fight on par with Hashirama, he needed something that could rival his wood style Kekkei Genkai and not drain a lot of chakra" explained Kurama._

"Sounds like a total douche bag" I say with a yawn.

" _Incredibly, it was only through the efforts of the first Hokage that I was freed" admitted Kurama._

"So, you owe humans something at least" I say with a small laugh.

Kurama simply huffed and fell silent.

I was pleased to find that the nine-tailed fox had kept his word and wasn't trying to corrupt me anymore. Didn't mean I was ready to let him out of his cage though, but I still made the effort to have a friendly chat every day and learn more about him and his past problems.

"We're almost there. They might be expecting us but still, be on your guard and ready to fight should things go south. I'll do all the talking" said Jaime in a manner highly unlike her.

"Pa, go with Jaime in case she needs to go sage" I say to the toad.

"Right"

Pa jumps over to Jaime, leaving Ma with me. I feel her enter sage mode and channel it into my body, had I looked in a mirror, I would have seen my eyes turn orange and dark red circle appear around them, signifying my sage status.

I see Tenten adjust her gloves and clip two kunai to her waist for quick draw. Hinata pulls her hair back into a bun and packs the cloak Ma had given her, into her small backpack.

"Hinata-girl, give us a visual" said Pa.

That was the one drawback of sage mode sensing, it had a limited range of about one hundred meters, more if you train; but it didn't compare to the almost two kilometres of range granted to those in possession of the Byakugan.

"A squad of guards at the front gate, nothing serious" said Hinata after a moment of checking.

"Good, that means they haven't been attacked yet" said Jaime with a nod.

We make our way over a few more sand dunes before finally arriving at the main gates to the Hidden Sand Village.

"Halt, state your names and business" said one of the guards as we got closer.

"I am Jaime of the Hidden Leaf, I have come to meet with the Kazekage" said Jaime quickly.

"Naruko Nishikawa of… Mount Myoboku, I am also here to meet with the Kazekage" I say after a moment of thought.

"Lord Fukasaku of Mount Myoboku, here to meet with the Kazekage" says Pa from atop Jaime's shoulder.

"Lady Shima of Mount Myoboku, also here to meet with the Kazekage" says Ma.

"Hinata Hyuga of the Hidden Leaf, here to meet with the Kazekage" says Hinata softly.

"Tenten of the Hidden Leaf, I am here to meet with the Kazekage" says Tenten quickly.

The guards look us over before nodding and sending us through.

"That was easy" noted Hinata.

"Lord Third sent a messenger hawk ahead for the Kazekage" explained Jaime.

As we moved through the village, we received some odd looks but were left alone. Making our way toward what I assumed was the Kazekage's main office building, I couldn't help but feel a little anxious about finally meeting another Jinchuuriki.

" _Relax kid, One-Tail might be a bit blood thirsty but he's not a real threat to you. I can crush him with one hand" laughed Kurama._

"Yeah, and what about the ones who aren't giant embodiments of chakra?" I ask sarcastically.

He doesn't reply however as we arrived at the Kazekage's office. Two guards wave us in and we're told to wait for someone to bring us up to the main meeting hall. We take a seat in the main lobby area and sigh in relief as we finally get out of the blistering sun.

"Oh… that's better" sighs Ma.

"Here Ma" I say.

With a few quick hand signs, I create a small floating orb of water in the air. Ma jumps right in and hydrates her skin, before Pa has a turn.

"Thank you Naruko-girl, that's much better" says Pa with a nod.

"Good control Naruko" notes Jaime with a nod.

I blush lightly at the praise, it feels good that I'm improving, even if it's only by a little bit at a time.

"The Fifth will see you now"

We all look up to see a woman with frizzy blonde hair, dressed in a purple outfit and carrying a rather large looking fan on her back. We all stand and follow her through the various halls leading to the main office.

"Lord Fifth is expecting you" said the woman as she gestured to a set of doors.

I can sense an immense amount of chakra through the doors, the Kazekage couldn't replicate that so it can't be a trap or imposter. Pushing the doors open, we're met with the sight of a scarlet haired teen, no older than myself. Dark circles adorn his eyes and a red symbol that I can't quite pick up sits on the left side of his forehead.

"Good morning Lord Kazekage, I am Jaime of the…"

"Yes, I know who you all are, let's get straight to the matter at hand" said the boy quickly.

"Very well" said the Sanin with a nod.

"I am Gaara, the fifth Kazekage" said the boy, "What do you want?"

I growl lightly at the boy's rude tone, it was obvious that he had never been spoken down to before, if his smug attitude and generally rude disposition to strangers was anything to go by.

"Of course, we are under the belief that your life is in danger from a rouge terrorist group looking to harness the power of the one-tailed beast sealed within you" said Jaime seriously.

This seemed to peek Gaara's interest, as he sat up straight.

"Do you have any proof of this?" asked Gaara curiously.

"Yes, two members of this organization attempted to kidnap the Jinchuuriki of the nine-tails before it could become a problem. However, said Jinchuuriki was no longer in the Hidden Leaf and was therefore protected" explained Jaime.

"I see, but why would they come after me? I do indeed possess the one-tail, but surely they could go after any of the tailed beasts" said Gaara.

That thought had also occurred to me, the tailed beasts were spread across the world and the Hidden Sand only possessed one, sure they were the closest but that didn't mean that the Akatsuki would target the beasts in the order of their tails.

"Normally you'd be correct, however, the weapon that they plan to use is very specific. It is called the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and can extract the tailed beasts into it. However, it requires that the beasts be extracted in the correct order, otherwise it will over load the statue and destroy it" explained Jaime seriously.

Once again, I was blown away with how professional Jaime could be when she was serious. It was obvious that her spies network was no joke, hence why she was so insistent on collecting Gaara first, she knew about the Statue.

It was true that the other tailed beasts could still be captured but without the one-tail in the statue, they couldn't extract the beasts from the Jinchuuriki without killing said Jinchuuriki; and a chained up Jinchuuriki is quite a dangerous threat, especially a collective group of them.

"Alright, let me say for a second that I believe you. I am the leader of this village, I can't very well just up and leave, which is what I assume you would like me to do" noted Gaara.

"What I propose is a partnership, if you come with us to help gather the other seven Jinchuuriki's, we can guarantee your villages safety and an alliance with the Hidden Leaf" offered Jaime.

"That is a very tempting offe… wait, did you say seven?" asked Gaara in confusion.

"Yes, the seven other Jinchuuriki's" said Jaime with a nod.

"But there are nine tailed beasts in all" said Gaara with a tone of obvious confusion.

"That's because we already have the nine tails support" said Jaime with a thin smile, gesturing to me.

"Hi there Lord Kazekage! I'm Naruko, the Jinchuuriki of the nine-tails" I say with a smile and a wave.

Gaara seems stunned by this current revelation, but still manages to maintain a tone of formality.

"Very well, how would you protect the village?" asked Gaara.

Jaime gestured for Ma and Pa to speak up.

"Well, there are two options Gaara-boy; one is that we send the main population of your village to our home of mount Myoboku where they will be fed and sheltered. The other is an injection of Hidden Leaf ninja to bolster the ranks of the Hidden Sand" said Pa.

"By bolstering your numbers with Leaf Ninja, the sand would be agreeing to a temporary treaty between our two nations" said Ma.

"I see… well I can't just have my entire village move because of me, so I suppose the offer of an increase in numbers would do. May I think it over?" asked Gaara.

"Of course, please have an answer by the morning however, we plan to set off for the two tails tomorrow" said Jaime with a nod.

With that, we were dismissed and sent to a small inn to spend the night. Jaime instantly went off drinking, whilst Ma and Pa decided to report back to the mount, Hinata decided to explore the village and Tenten decided to make up some more explosive tags.

I simply decided to wander the roof tops and get a general lay of the land.

The scorching sun seemed to enhance my golden locks and I couldn't help but smile. It might be under dangerous circumstances, but I was glad that I had Jaime had let me come with her on this mission.

The Hidden Sand was an amazing place, built utilizing the surrounding mountain faces as protection from invasion. The only entrance was via a small opening in the cliffs, which was constantly guarded around the clock. I knew I was being paranoid when I thought the Akatsuki could come and take Gaara.

Speaking of, it appears the Kazekage was sitting by himself atop a random building, situated under a bit of roof to protect him from the sun. I made a bee line straight for him and landed gently beside my fellow Jinchuuriki.

"Hi Gaara!" I say with a smile.

"Hello Naruko, care to join me?" asked Gaara with closed eyes.

I was taken back by his offer, he seemed to be an entirely different person when not under formal circumstances. He notices my lack of movement and cracks open a black rimmed eye, smiling gently, he gestures for me to take the place next to him.

"I won't bite" he said jokingly.

I gave a small giggle and sat down quickly.

"The one-tail huh?" I say out loud.

"Yes, not the nicest creature but we've reached an… understanding of sorts" said Gaara with a grimace.

"Same with Kurama, I mean the nine tails… forgive me for asking, but you're being awfully kind" I say sheepishly.

Gaara opens both of his eyes and stares out into the distance.

"My father always told me to respect women, especially one as beautiful as you" said Gaara smoothly.

 **Tailed Beast Astral Plane**

"Oh!? Shukaku, your boys got some moves on him" laughed Kurama.

"Oh, shut it you old fox, as if Gaara would fall for someone like the nine tailed Jinchuuriki" growled the one tail.

The two tailed beasts had managed to establish a mental link with one another due to the proximity of their respective Jinchuuriki's. It had been a rough reunion but they had quickly sorted out their difference when Gaara had complimented Naruko.

"Shukaku" Kurama said in a suddenly serious tone, "Do you know the status of any of our brothers or sisters?"

Shukaku simply shook his head and sighed.

"Afraid not fox, last beast I saw was Gyuki and that was before I was sealed" explained Shukaku.

"Yes, the humans are very persistent in their quest for power" noted Kurama.

"Do you believe it will ever end… truly?" asked Shukaku sadly.

Kurama huffed and lay down, gazing at his host, he couldn't help but feel a shred of hope toward his current Jinchuuriki.

 **Reality**

"Oh… umm, thank you I guess" I say in surprise.

I couldn't supress the rush of blood to my face that I knew had appeared. I could almost hear the mocking laughter of that stupid fox within my mind.

"I'm sorry, that came out far bolder than I intended" sighed Gaara, a blush of his own adoring his face.

"No, no!" I say quickly, "I've just been living with Toads most of my life and haven't really gotten comfortable with humans, and you're really handsome and you're the Kazekage and I'm just a random girl and I should really shut up right now, alright shutting up!"

" _Oh, thank Kami" groaned Kurama._

I see a smile spread across the usually stoic face of the one-tailed Jinchuuriki.

"The toads of Mount Myoboku, I'm quite jealous, what was it like?" asked Gaara.

I could feel my eyes widen at the question, the stupid blue orbs. I took a deep breath and launched into a deep and detailed timeline that was my life at Mount Myoboku. Gaara never seemed to grow bored, in fact he asked me almost more questions than I could answer.

"So then, as we were facing down the creature in nothing but our underwear, Jamie and I…"

" _KID MOVE!" roared Kurama suddenly._

I sense a something move toward us at high speeds, leaping forward, I tackle Gaara across the roof right as our previous position exploded in a great fireball. Still holding Gaara, I leap across to the next roof and set him up straight.

I groan as I feel a few shards of wood and clay shift in my back, I feel my chakra move to dull the sting and heal the cuts I had received from the blast. Looking at Gaara, I see that the Kazekage was covered in a thin layer of sand, fully protected from the shrapnel of the blast.

"What the hell was that?" I ask Kurama.

" _Explosive jutsu, looked like a pigeon" noted Kurama._

The sun suddenly gets completely blocked out, as a giant white bird lands before us. A blonde man with a very ugly fringe casually jumps off and inspects the still burning building. Sighing in somewhat disappointment, he turned back to face us.

"Pretty quick huh, being able to dodge that" sighed the stranger.

"Who are you?" asked Gaara, stepping in front of me.

"Are you the Kazekage?" asked the man, ignoring the question.

"The man asked you a question" I say, drawing a handful of shuriken.

I wasn't nearly prepared for a fight, considering I had left my scrolls and kunai back at the inn. I mentally kick myself for being so underprepared, I simply didn't expect an attack in the middle of the day.

"I am Deidara, member of Akatsuki" said the blonde before us.

Both of our eyes narrow at the mention of the terrorist group. I didn't recognize his name either, so I had no idea what his capabilities were save for making some form of explosives. I needed to alert Jaime, Tenten, Hinata, Ma and Pa of the situation.

"Kurama, can you relay a message to Gaara's tailed beast?" I ask quickly.

" _Of course," was the immediate reply._

A few moments later, Gaara turns and looks at me, he gives me a small nod and I promptly vanish back to the Inn, having left a Shuriken on my bed earlier.

"TENTEN!" I yell, almost kicking down the girl's door.

Bursting into her room, I see her almost fall off her chair in surprise.

"What!?"

"The Akatsuki is here, Gaara is holding them off but we've gotta go!" I say urgently, strapping my own tools to my body and changing into my sage gear.

Hearing my words, Tenten leaps to her feet and gears up; once she's ready, I grab her hand and relocate to the shuriken I had left at the rooftop. Unfortunately, the roof had been caved in and we ended up at the bottom of a collapsed building.

Gaara seems to have taken the battle into the sky to minimize the damage done to the hidden sand.

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu"

Ten clones appear around me, before I send them off to form a strategic circle around the battle. Doing this allows me to focus on attacking the enemy, whilst my clones throw my special brand of shuriken, keeps me mobile in the heat of a fight.

Tossing out a throwing star, I warp to it and toss another, before throwing another and landing on the pile of sand next to Gaara.

"You came back" noted Gaara as his sand shield was pelted with explosives.

"Can't leave a friend behind… even though I just did that… whatever! Let's kick this guy's ass!" I yell, throwing a handful of my own shuriken in an arc toward our enemy.

They fly straight past him and he gives me a smug looking smirk, I simply give him a sweet smile back, a Rasengan already formed in my hands. Warping behind him, I slam the jutsu into his back, blood shoots from his mouth and he's knocked clear from his bird and onto a nearby roof.

"Naruko, we need to get him out of the village, he specializes in explosives" said Gaara.

I land next to him and watch Tenten keep our attacker occupied, she seals most Deidara's attacks before they have a chance to detonate, I shouldn't be surprised though; her mastery of seals is almost on par with that of Jaime's.

Speaking of, as Gaara and I land on the roof next to Tenten, the Pervy-sage appears from behind the Akatsuki member, blocking off all chances of escape. Deidara looks at his current situation and smiles smugly to himself.

As he launches a barrage of attacks against Tenten and Jaime, I hold Gaara back.

"What are you doing? They need all the support they can get!" exclaims the Kazekage.

"No, I need your help with a backup plan" I say seriously.

Gaara looks at me cautiously before sighing and nodding.

"What's the plan?"

"Make a large sand cup the size of a human, reinforce the bottom and walls but keep the entire top part open. Make it as strong as your jutsu allows it" I say before biting into my thumb and drawing blood, "Summoning Jutsu!"

The street next to us is suddenly filled by the massive, hulking frame of Gamabunta. The old chief toad looks at me rather annoyed but I don't have time to deal with his complaints and or attitude today.

"What is it kid?"

"Take this cup of sand as far as you can into the desert for two minutes, then come back, do you understand?" I ask seriously.

The toad eyes me for a few seconds before nodding and reaching down to take the relatively small in comparison cup of hardened sand. Moments later he bursts out of the street and clears the village walls, making his way out into the desert.

"What now?" asks Gaara.

"Now? Let's go take down an Akatsuki member" I say with a smile.

Racing toward the battle, I see that Jaime and Tenten were easily keeping Deidara on his toes. Forcing the terrorist to use up most of his clay simply trying to defend himself.

"Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan!" roared Jaime as she leapt from above.

Deidara barley has a chance to dodge and is thrown into sheer rock cliffs of the outer village walls. With his back against the walls, he begins to laugh hysterically, we look at one another cautiously and maintain a semi-circle formation around the Akatsuki member.

"Well I never expected the one-tail to be so well guarded; no matter, as long as I am not captured" sighed Deidara.

Ripping off his black cloak, he revealed a large scar running over his heart. I swallowed nervously as I he ripped out the stitches with one hand, revealing a mouth with jagged teeth. He smiled insanely before shoving a ball of his clay into the mouth.

"Oh no" whispered Jaime in horror.

"If I'm going down, then I'm taking you and this pathetic village down with me!" screamed Deidara as his body turned transparent.

His chakra was accumulating in his heart, combining with the clay to form some kind of last resort weapon.

"Everyone take cover!" yelled Jaime.

However, I sprinted right toward Deidara. Tackling the Akatsuki to the ground and wrapping my arms tight around him.

"Oh? Wanting a quick and painless death then?" laughed the man manically.

"Naruko! What the hell are you doing!?"

I barely register Jaime's words, simply consolidating my chakra. I wait until the last possible moment, right as I feel his detonation begin to surface before warping myself away.

I land firmly against the tightly packed sand of Gaara's cup, Deidara still attached to me before letting him go and jumping away from him. I see his eyes widen for a second before a bright white light expands from his chest, I feel myself pull away and arrive back at the sand village.

I simply lay on my back, the tips of my cloak slightly singed by the initial blast. I hear the explosion off in the distance but can't muster the energy to look, using the flying thunder god technique over such a long distance really took it out of me.

" _You could always use my chakra" sighed the voice in my head._

"And run the risk of getting corrupted, not on your life fox" I say with a chuckle.

"Naruko!"

I hear Jaime, Gaara, Tenten and Hinata come running over to me.

"Was the blast far enough?" I ask with a smile.

"Yeah kid… you got him out of there just in time" laughed Jaime, patting me on the back.

"You saved the village Naruko, we are in your debt" said Gaara with a short bow.

"Fine then, you gotta join us" I say with another groan, rubbing the back of my head.

"Seeing the threat and skill of the Akatsuki first hand, I don't believe I have a choice but to help my fellow Jinchuuriki" said Gaara with a firm nod.

I smile to myself and accept Jaime's hand up.

"Say kid, how'd you know about that though?" asks the sage curiously.

"Sage mode duh. When you and Ten were attacking him, I saw him begin to gather large amounts of chakra in his heart. Considering he used explosives as his primary weapons, it made sense that he would have some form of massive final attack. Didn't expect it to be him however" I say with a shrug.

"So, you had me create a containment shell, one that would redirect his attack skywards should that toad not get it out of the villages blast radius" noted Gaara in realization.

I simply nod, it had been a fast paced first battle against the Akatsuki…

"Wait, I thought Akatsuki members travelled in pairs" I say suddenly.

Looking up at Jaime, I see a flash of remembrance cross her face as she cusses under her breath lightly.

"Damn, you're right kid. Kazekage sir, double the guards, we'll stay here until the Leaf ninja arrive as backup" said Jaime, handing me over to Tenten for support.

As Jaime heads off with Gaara, Tenten and Hinata accompany me back to our rooms. Tenten offers to look me over and heal any injuries I may or may not have. I don't really mind, seeing as though Kurama's healing factor usually kicks in and regenerates any damage done to me.

"Can you undress for me please, I'll just check you for any scratches and cuts" says Tenten with a small smile.

Suddenly I feel a wave of embarrassment wash over me for no real reason. It hit me that Tenten would be the first human girl, save for Jaime, to see me naked; the thought of that was more than a little embarrassing.

Ma and Jaime were both like parents to me, so it didn't matter; but Tenten was a stunningly attractive young woman. Sure, we were both girls but that didn't take away the fact that she would be seeing me like this…

" _Seriously Kid? It's not as though you like her or anything" sighed Kurama._

"Shut it you old fox" I snap back.

Shaking any doubts from my head, I quickly pull off my top and unhook my bra.

Tenten pulls out a small piece of cotton and dabs a strong-smelling liquid onto it. She gently dabs a few of my larger cuts and some of the burn marks I received from the initial explosion. I try to keep my mind occupied with something else whilst she is doing this but my eyes always slip to her gentle face.

The way she goes about her work in precise yet kind manner, her eyes lock in on another cut and she quickly wipes away what little blood there is and disinfects it. I couldn't help but stare at her dark brown eyes and feel relaxed as a result.

"Are you feeling alright Naruko? Your face is rather red" said Tenten suddenly.

"Yup, all good you know!" I say quickly with a smile.

"Alright then, you're fine. You also didn't need to take your bra off, I'm flattered you trusted me so much though" giggled Tenten.

It took me a few seconds to register what she had said, but by the time she had, someone had entered the room.

"Naruko-girl, are you alrig…"

Ma and Pa trail off as they see the scene before them, I can literally hear Kurama howling with laughter and all I can do is let myself fall backwards and land on my own bed. Pulling a random top on, I simply lie on my bed and wait to die from embarrassment.

 **The Next Morning**

"Alright team, now that we've got the Kazekage on our side, we can't be stopped" laughed Jaime heartily.

We all roll our eyes and shake off the last dredges of sleep from our minds. Having been restocked by the village with food and water necessary for the rest of our journey, we stood at the gates whilst Gaara gave his final orders to the ones left in charge of the village.

"Now where to?" asked the Kazekage curiously.

"The Hidden Cloud" said Jaime with a firm nod.

"But that is far longer away, even if they do have the two-tails, would it not be more efficient to visit the Hidden Mist or even the Hidden Rock?" questioned Gaara.

"That might be true, but my sources suggest that the Akatsuki will send its most powerful members to secure the two and eight tails" explained Jaime seriously, "They'll need all the support they can get"

Gaara nodded and made sure that his gourd was secure.

"Alright! Hidden Cloud here we come you know!"

 **A/N: Hidden Cloud up next then!**

 **I'l probably put a filler/travel chapter in between in order to develop characters up a bit.**

 **Now before you comment; I know Gaara seems a little OOC, but this is a universe where Naruto/Naruko never connected with him during the Chunin exams. I'll explore the relationships between Jinchuuriki's later as well, besides, Naruko is pretty cute to a guy like Gaara so why wouldn't he be kind?**

 **Please review, I need some feed back in general.**

 **I'm trying to keep a pretty decent upload schedule but without reviews I don't really feel like it.**

 **Anyway:**

 **Read, fav, follow and review.**

 **My name is Parradox and thanks so much for reading.**

 **Bye!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A bit late but whatever!**

 **Been on holiday so...**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter Three**

Pain rockets through my body, I see a few droplets of blood exit my mouth before the wind is totally knocked out of me. I feel something break as I'm flung through a solid tree, I don't have any time to react as I feel something coarse and rough wrap around me ankle.

The ever so brief feeling of weightlessness I experience whilst being flung through the air, cancels out some of the blinding pain. Before the ever so harsh laws of physics kick back into action with an almighty vengeance and slam me into the ground once again.

I sense another attack coming directly toward me and put my hand up.

"Alright! I got it, without sage mode I'm no good in a direct confrontation" I say with a groan.

The sand stops mere inches from my face before racing back into the gourd of its wielder.

"Well done Gaara-boy, you kept attacking in order to stop her from formulating a counter attack. Excellent" noted Pa with a nod.

"Yeah… really got me there" I say with a chuckle as I flip up onto shaky feet.

Glancing across the grassy field that we had set up camp in, I see Tenten and Hinata practicing their Taijutsu with Jaime. The Pervy-sage proving to be able to keep up with both girls without the slightest glimpse of any real effort, I grumbled to myself, stupid legendary pervert!

"Sorry about that Naruko, I should have shown some minor restraint" noted Gaara as the last grains of sand returned to him.

"Don't worry about it, stupid fox'll fix me right up" I say with stretch.

"Here that, you should be more like the nine-tails" stated Gaara, obviously communicating with his tailed beast.

" _HAHAHA! Getting beaten by the one-tailed Jinchuuriki! What a joke!" roared Kurama with laughter._

"Shut it you dumb fox" I say with a growl.

We'd been travelling for little over a week now, our journey was a rather long one so we took plenty of breaks. We make sure to spar every day in case of attacks and have been practicing our combination attacks, especially Gaara and I.

Ma and Pa are now able to easily perform their Genjutsu, Jaime is slowly working out all the kinks in her sage mode form and both Hinata and Tenten are growing stronger in their individual areas. I on the other hand just keep getting my ass kicked by everyone else.

" _You just have to ask" tutted Kurama obnoxiously._

"Will you just shut up, why can't you get it through your thick skull that I can trust you about as far as I can throw you" I say with an annoyed sigh.

" _I understand exactly where you're coming from kid, but your capacity to use ninjutsu is only so limited with the amount of chakra you have" noted Kurama._

And that was where he was ultimately right. Due to the nature between a Jinchuuriki and its beast, they both inhabit the same body; basically, meaning that we both have our chakras trying to occupy the same body.

In cases like Gaara, the two mixed perfectly throughout his life and allowed the Jinchuuriki to draw from both for extra power. However, due to the quick realization that I was the host of the nine-tails at an early age, I was taught how to lock out Kurama's chakra and prevent it from both mixing and corrupting me.

This meant that I was running on my own chakra though, and since Kurama is a massive giant composed of the stuff; there wasn't a ton of room for me to grow my own kind of chakra without breaking the seal and allowing his to mix with mine.

" _I get that you don't have the upmost trust for me right now…"_

"You did kinda murder both my parents and try destroy the leaf village… not to mention you tried to kill me at birth!" I say with a wave of my hands.

" _I did… and I realize the severity of my actions. I can't change what I did in the past, nor do I want to. The humans have only used and abused us tailed beasts since they could seal us, I don't apologize for all the death I've caused but I ask that you trust that I honestly do not want to cause more" said Kurama in a very wise manner._

I couldn't deny what the fox was saying, he hadn't made any moves against me since we'd come to our agreement. In fact, he'd saved my skin during the fight against Deidara, I might have been seriously hurt had he not given me a heads up.

"Fine… but if we're going to do this, we do it under my conditions and at my speed. I want to know every step and if you try anything, I'm shutting you down so hard you won't even be able to sense me anymore" I say in my most serious tone.

" _Calm yourself kid, I want you to get strong also because despite my jabs at your fight before, I can't stand you losing against the one-tail" growled Kurama._

"Alright, I'm coming in" I say with a new type of determination.

Finding a small piece of shade, away from the rest of the group, I sit down and enter a meditative position. Letting my mind slip from my body, I feel myself shift and the world becomes far darker and damper as a result.

"I still don't know why you sealed me in a sewer" noted Kurama from behind his bars.

I simply shrug.

"How we gonna do this foxy?" I ask curiously.

"First things first, we need to start blending our chakra. This is going to be easy but we'd better take it slow. Too much of my chakra could probably rip you apart if we're not careful" says the fox.

We both assume sitting positions and hold our hands together in a prayer. I feel the blocks I had set up begin to fade, letting in the potent nine-tails chakra. I let my own chakra meet the demon foxes in the middle, the two orbs of energy mixing into one another.

"Alright, feels good so far" I say with a light nod.

"Good, it seems you have a far greater capacity than I originally thought" noted Kurama, "I suppose that is due to your Uzumaki heritage"

I simply ignore the nod toward my mother and her clan, instead focusing on the whole not ripping apart thing. Slowly Kurama adds more and more of his chakra until I begin to feel a light stretching in my bones and joints.

"Relax kid, your body is just adjusting to the new chakra. It's actually popping your joints and reducing all the stress on your vital spots" explained the fox.

In all honesty, I was feeling far better. The pain from fighting Gaara was non-existent already, I felt stronger and faster than ever.

"How much chakra do you have left, to mix I mean" I ask curiously.

"Hah! I've used less than a tenth, I'm simply getting your body ready. Just in case you ever need a massive burst of strength, your body won't fry as a result" laughed Kurama.

I feel my eyebrow twitch in annoyance, this fox could be obnoxious as hell when he wanted.

"Well, can you keep blending our chakra?" I ask.

"Of course, I'll go slow" said the fox with a nod.

"Thanks… I'll get going now, we're supposed to hit the road soon" I said with a smile and wave.

As I fade back into the real world, I thought I saw Kurama smile at me sadly but I couldn't quite be sure.

 **A Few Hours Later**

"Alrighty team! Time to hunker down and get some dinner!" laughed Jaime.

"Race you Pervy-sage! First one to collect enough food for dinner is the winner!" I cheer before racing off.

 **At Camp**

"Naruko and Jaime are certainly close" noted Gaara as he watched the two-mentioned race off to find food.

"Aye… Jaime-girl is like the sister Naruko-girl never had" explained Ma with a fond smile.

Hinata and Tenten had gone off to collect firewood, leaving the Kazekage and two toad sages alone to talk before they returned.

"So, you raised her?" asked Gaara curiously.

He had already heard the fantastic version from Naruko herself, but he wanted the toned-down version from the sage's mouths.

"Yes, Ma bought her in when she was only five years old. Beaten and broken she was, till we taught her everything we knew of course. That never dulled the sadness in her heart however, no matter what she says" explained Pa with a sad sigh.

"She doesn't seem to be sad, in fact she carries herself with more pride and strength than any one of us" noted Gaara.

"You're wise Kazekage-boy, but you're still young. Naruko wishes to help her fellow Jinchuuriki because why?" asked Ma.

Gaara thought for a moment, the truth dawning on him.

"Because we're like her; feared and rejected because of something we could never control. I can't say I can relate, sure my mother died when giving birth to me, but my father loved me and tried his hardest to nurture my abilities" explained Gaara honestly.

Ma and Pa nodded in understanding.

"Yes, not every Jinchuuriki is treated poorly. However, Naruko doesn't like the idea of her 'family' being used as a weapon for the Akatsuki" said Pa.

"I understand that Naruko was treated incredibly poorly during her time at the Leaf, I know I said I can't relate to her ordeal but I'm glad she was found by you two" said Gaara with a nod.

"Hmm… your father raised you well Gaara-boy, I'm sorry that he was betrayed by Orochimaru" sighed Ma.

"No, my father was a kind man but an utter fool for trusting in that snake. I tried to stop him but he confined me to the village during the exams. I didn't find out about his death till much later" explained Gaara softly.

"Well you have a family in both your villagers, and this team Gaara-boy, remember that" said Pa with a nod.

Gaara smiled and gave a nod back.

"Rasengan!"

I brace myself as I hit the ground, my arms filled with fish from the nearby river. My wind style jutsu having launched me back into the clearing, far ahead of Jaime.

"Naruko-girl! Be Careful!" scolded Ma as she pinched my cheeks.

"Urm serri" I groan through pinched cheeks.

"You'd better be, using a Rasengan like that, my word" growled Ma as she finally let go.

"Oww… you meanie!" I yell, chasing the toad around the clearing.

Jaime trots into the clearing, a decent batch of fish in her arms and a sheepish smile on her face. I can't manage to get a single finger on Ma, her tiny body proving far too nimble for my slow and weighty hands.

"Alright you two, lets cook" said Pa.

"Alright, stand back guys! I got this!" I say with a laugh.

I throw the fish high into the air and perform a single hand seal.

"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Bullet!"

I let the chakra build to the perfect amount in my mouth before releasing a plume of flames that gently cooks the fish before they land softly on a blanket that Ma had quickly tossed over the ground beneath them.

"Wow… good cooking kid" noted Jaime with an impressed nod.

I simply smile and pick up one of the fish before taking a huge bite out of it.

"AHH! HOT! HOT! HOT! HOT!"

I can hear everyone laughing as I grab my flask of water and down it instantly. I sigh in relief, before growling at the chuckling tailed beast within my mind. Blowing gently on the fish, I take another, tentative bite of the meat and smile in satisfaction.

"Well done Naruko-girl" noted Ma with a toothless smile.

"We're back" said Tenten, Hinata only a few steps behind her.

I rush over and grab some of the wood they had been carrying and start making a small campfire in the middle of the clearing. Pa sprays some of his toad oil over the logs and I quickly set it ablaze with a fire release jutsu.

"Are you skilled in many other nature types Naruko?" asked Gaara curiously.

I turn to face him, a fish hanging between my teeth which earns a light laugh from the group.

"Well, kinda… I mainly focus on fire, wind and water but theoretically I could more" I say with a shrug.

Gaara seems impressed and nods lightly.

"I too am skilled in wind release along with my father's Kekkei Genkai: magnet release" explained Gaara.

This perked my interest.

"A Kekkei Genkai? A combination jutsu type" I say in wonder.

"Yes, my father studied the one tail and was able to create his own type of magnet release; one that focused on the manipulation of gold dust. Since I am the one tailed Jinchuuriki, I have access to the wind and earth combination jutsu" explained Gaara.

"That's so awesome! Kurama, do you have a Kekkei Genkai!?" I ask in excitement.

" _Hah! I don't need a combination jutsu" laughed the fox._

"You're jealous, aren't you?" I say with a shit eating grin.

" _Don't be ridiculous! I am the nine-tails, strongest of all the tailed beasts! Why would I be jealous of a simple combination jutsu?!" huffed the beast._

"Alright tough guy, no need to prove anything to me" I say with a giggle.

It was at that moment when I realize that everyone was staring directly at me. I must look like a right fool when I start laughing for no apparent reason, especially when it's at a god like being living within my very body.

 **The Next Day**

As the first rays of dawn stream gently onto my face, I allow myself the rare luxury of a scratch around my chest. Despite the incredible support my bra gives me, my stupid breasts always get sore after a long day.

I haven't been able to personally tend to them since I left the mount.

With a soft yawn and a look around, I decide to head toward the hot spring I had found the night before. Grabbing my outfit, I walk of silently through the forest; my mind creating a map back to the spring simply from memory.

The spring bubbles gently before me; I stick a toe in and smile at the warmth of the water. Sure, we'd stopped by some springs on our journey but they had never been this quite or secluded before. If my fellow Jinchuuriki's weren't being hunted, I would be a very happy girl.

I let the water flow around me, the heat cleansing my every pore and washing away the nasty grit from our trek. I clean the places that are a little more difficult to reach before finally just deciding to relax and enjoy myself.

The soft sound of a branch snapping forces my eyes wide open; I enter sage mode and scan the area without moving my head. Someone is approaching from my left and I put my hands together, ready to perform a hand signal.

"Oh, hello there; I wasn't aware this spring was in use. May I join you?"

I turn to see a tanned girl with aquamarine hair and bright orange eyes looking at me. She was clad only in a towel and had a small smile on her face as she awaited my answer.

"Umm… sure" I say with a gesture of my hand.

The girl drops her towel and slips into the water before I can get a proper look at her body. We simply sit there for a few minutes, letting the warm water relax us.

"I'm Fuu by the way" she says suddenly.

"Naruko, nice to meet you" I say in reply.

"So… what's a pretty girl like yourself doing way out here? Nothing around for miles" said Fuu curiously.

"That's a lie and you know it, you don't have any gear with you, so there must be a village or camp you're staying at nearby" I say deductively.

She seems slightly surprised by my revelation and smiles lightly.

"You're quite smart Naruko, yes; I come from a nearby village, I am its protector" she says with sad eyes.

"I see… well, I'm on a mission with my friends to help others like me" I say with a shrug.

This seemed to surprise her even more.

"Like you?" she asked in confusion.

I mentally kick myself for giving away that titbit of information. Fuu seemed kind enough but I didn't really like telling other people that I was the host to a legendary creature of chaos and destruction itself.

" _I prefer madness annihilation actually"_

I sigh and look at Fuu, her orange eyes looking back in hope of an answer.

"I know you'll probably fear me when I tell you but… I'm… the Jinchuuriki of the nine tails" I say quietly.

I look up and see Fuu almost bursting out laughing, her face is red and her eyes are watering. Now it's my turn to be confused beyond belief; she wasn't scared or cautious in the slightest.

"Oh… I'm… so sorry!" she gasped out between breaths.

"Why are you laughing?" I ask in confusion.

She smiles and claps her hands together in a prayer, I raise an eyebrow before I'm hit with a wave of chakra that feels oddly comforting.

" _Of course!" exclaimed Kurama from within me._

"Hello Naruko; I am Fuu, the Jinchuuriki of the Seven Tailed beast"

"Oh…"

 **Twenty Minutes Later**

"I knew my intel was spot on, it was just a matter of getting Naruko to bump into you" laughed Jaime in delight.

Apparently the Pervy-sage had received word that the village of Takigakure had recently lost their Jinchuuriki. It just so happened to be on the way toward the Land of Lightning, so Jaime decided to have us camp out near the last known location.

It just so happened that Fuu had run away from her village due to abuse. She had found a small hidden village which had taken her in and accepted her nature as a Jinchuuriki.

I had to breath very deeply when I heard how she was treated but Ma and Pa were close by with gentle words. She and Gaara became acquainted rather quickly, sharing stories and tales of their different ways of life and such.

It wasn't until Fuu bought up the reason for our mission that things got serious.

"So, a group of terrorists wants the tailed beasts for a weapon? Sounds pretty bad" noted Fuu.

We'd explained the situation to her; the Akatsuki, their plan, the order of extraction and even where we were going next.

"We know you have your village but…"

"I'm in!" she says with her thumbs up.

"WHAT?!"

We all exclaim at the same time.

"What? I might be the protector of the village but that's only if anyone can find it. An incredibly powerful Genjutsu cloaks the village, only people living within the village can move through it; it's the reason we've never been attacked before" explained Fuu.

"I see… so even if you were to leave, the Akatsuki couldn't use the people of your village as leverage"

"Exactly, besides, I need some adventure in my life!" groaned Fuu with a stretch.

"Well Fuu-girl, you're more than welcome to join us" offered Pa.

"Great! Give me an hour to inform the village elders and pack my things, I'll be back soon!" laughed Fuu.

Two insect like wings suddenly sprouted from her back and she burst off into the sky.

 **Tailed Beast Astral Plain**

"Hmm… hello brother" greeted Kurama as the seven tails appeared.

"Kurama, Shukaku; good to see you again" said Chomei with a nod.

"It's been too long Chomei, how is the life of captivity treating you" huffed Shukaku.

"Lady Fuu is a kind a faithful host, the abuse she suffered because of me is unforgivable. Perhaps you are familiar with this treatment of your own hosts?" asked the seven tails.

Kurama nodded lightly.

"Hmm… not really, my brat was well looked after by his father" noted the one tail.

"I understand you Chomei, my girl is very emotionally hurt but hides it masterfully" stated the fox with a small frown.

"Kami strike me down! Is the great and fearsome nine tails feeling some form of positive emotion for his host?!" exclaimed Shukaku loudly.

"Shut it you old raccoon!" growled the nine tails.

 **Reality**

"Alright team… wait… do you have a team name?" asked Fuu curiously.

We look at one another and shrug.

"Never really given it much thought" I say honestly.

"Well then… what about Team Jinchuuriki?" suggested Fuu.

"But we're not all Jinchuuriki's now are we" sighed Pa.

"What about Team Lotus?" suggested Gaara.

"Lotus… sounds interesting" said Ma with a nod.

"Pretty and cool" said Fuu with a wide smile.

"All good on my end" said Jaime with a grin.

"Sounds nice" said Hinata softly.

"Ditto" said Tenten.

Everyone looked toward me for the final opinion.

"Sounds badass you know!"

 **A/N: Team Lotus Go!**

 **So Gaara isn't the angst emo he once was!**

 **Since Naruto is a girl in this timeline, things will be very different: Jariya is a girl, Gaara was well treated, Kurama is not a huge dickhead, Neji, Lee etc died.**

 **Now before you jump in my ass over Fuu just appearing! She was drawn to the chakra signature of Naruko and Kurama; the reason Naruko was so trusting was because of the familiar chakra of Chomei. Things happen for a reason and those reasons are not always obvious**

 **Read, fav, follow and review.**

 **My name is Parradox and thanks so much for reading.**

 **Bye!**


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